Swiatek digs herself out of deep hole to reach French Open last eight

PARIS - Four-times champion Iga Swiatek clawed her way back from the brink to qualify for the French Open quarter-finals as she beat her clay court nemesis Elena Rybakina after a high-octane decider on Sunday.

The fifth-seeded Pole looked out of sorts as she trailed 6-1 2-0 on Court Philippe Chatrier, leaving the crowd stunned, but Swiatek found her groove and some grit to prevail 1-6 6-3 7-5.

Her final opponent from last year, Jasmine Paolini, was on the wrong end of another dramatic last-16 clash against 13th seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine as the Italian wasted three match points in a 4-6 7-6(6) 6-1 defeat.

Svitolina will provide the next test for Swiatek, who continues her quest to become the first female player since tennis turned professional to claim the singles title four times in a row at Roland Garros.

The only women to win the singles at Roland Garros in four straight years were Jeanne Matthey from 1909-12 and Suzanne Lenglen from 1920-23 when only French players competed.

Since tennis turned professional in 1968, Swiatek is one of three women with Monica Seles and Justine Henin to enjoy three consecutive triumphs in Paris and on Sunday it looked like her quest for a fourth straight was going to crash to a halt.

The 12th-seeded Rybakina made a bullet start, putting Swiatek on the back foot with some powerful baseline play and racing to a 5-0 lead, threatening to inflict on the former world number one her first bagel at a Grand Slam.

It was as if I was playing (mens world number one and heavy hitter) Jannik Sinner, Swiatek joked.

DOUBLE FAULTS

If there was any sign that Swiatek was rattled, it was her three double faults at 2-2 in the second set.

The fifth seed still held